Road vibrator



July 8, 1941. A. W. MALL 2,248,103

ROAD VIBRATOR Filed April 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. W. MALL ROADVIBRATOR July 8, 1941.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 6, 195a Q Shaw m nna? Patented July 8, 1941UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROAD VIBRATOR Arthur William Mall, Chicago,Ill.

Application April 6, 1938, Serial No. 200,442

Claims.

My invention relates to gang vibrator mechanisms and like devices.

My invention relates more particularly to vibrator mechanisms capable ofbeing attached to screed operating machines or other road machinery foruse in compacting unset cement or similar road building material.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a vibratormechanism capable of being attached to road building machinery orsimilar machinery.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a vibratormechanism capable of bein operated from the road machine and capable ofadjustment upon the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved gangvibrator mechanism of the class described which will include a pluralityof vibrator units adapted to be moved about and controlled by anoperator from a platform of the screed operating machine or other roadbuilding machine to which the same is attached.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedvibrator mechanism of the type described, so constructed and designedthat a single operator may easily direct the operation of a plurality ofvibrator mechanisms and. con trol the same as a single unit or controlthe individual vibrators or any number thereof as desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved constructionof gang vibrator mechanism capable of being mounted upon a road buildingmachine and capable of easy and simple manipulation back and forth uponthe same to determine the position at which the operation of thevibrators is to be effected.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved constructionof gang vibrator mechanism capable of attachment to a road machine andcapable of being operated about a pivot by means of a hand lever and animproved construction of counterweights.

In the improved construction which I have pro- Vided, I employ a machinethat may include a series of five to nine direct driven electric motorvibrators weighing approximately 100 lbs. each. These vibrators may behung from a pipe or other support which is suspended from the finishingmachine and can be raised and lowered into the unset concrete veryreadily by the operator of the finishing machine. With an arrangementlike this, the entire slab of the road from one side to the other willbe thoroughly vibrated internally,

giving highly beneficial results in lasting quality and proper concretecompaction.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription wherein reference may be had to the accompanying two sheetsof drawings upon which Fig. 1 is an end elevational view of a roadbuilding or finishing machine with my improved vibrator unit mountedthereon;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same mounted upon the rear portion of themachine;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the vibrator unit shown mountedupon the machine with portions of the same broken away to more clearlyshow other parts;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating generally the type ofvibrator employed; and

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of a modified form of vibrator motorsupport member.

In the embodiment of the invention which I have chosen to illustrate, Ihave shown a portion of the finishing machine or other road buildingmachine l0 supported by the wheels l6 upon the side frames l2 and I4within which the road bed is laid.

The frame of the vibrator unit may be generally an elongated platform l8formed with downwardly directed side portions l9 and 2|. Each of theside members may carry a plurality of rollers 23 adapted to ride in apair of channel members 20 and 22 mounted on the platform of the screed.Stop members (not shown) are provided at the outer ends of the channelmembers for preventing the rollers from running off the channel members20 and 22. The platform l8 of the vibrator unit may be formed with aplurality of upwardly directed standards 26 which support a horizontalrod 28 at their upper end; The rod may be suitably journalled in thebearing portions 30 of the standards 26 and be capable of rotationtherein. I provide a plurality of arms 32 extended outwardly from thehorizontal rod 28 adapted to support at their outer end and parallel torod 28 a second parallel rod member 34. The rod member 34 may have aplurality of downwardly projecting supports 36 secured thereto in pairsof two at spaced intervals from one end of the rod to the other. Thesupports 36 are pivotally connected upon the opposite sides of avibrator motor housing 38 and thus support the same hanging suspendedtherefrom.

The vibrator units generally may include the motor 38, a flexible shaft40 and a vibrator unit 42. These vibrators may be of the usual typeshown and described in my copending application for patent on vibrator,Serial Number 18,2 69. Since that application gives a completedescription of the construction of the same, further details will not begiven herein. It is sufiicient to state that the unit generallycomprises a flexible shaft-member 44 driven bysthe motor 38 andextending downwardly to the vibrator housing 46 in a flexible shafthousing 48. The tip 50 of the flexible shaft is in driving engagementwith an offset weight member 52 which may be mounted in suitablebearings 54 and 56 adjacent the upper and lower end of the shell orhousing 46. Thus, in the construction which I have shown I have placedvibrator units approximately two or three feet apart to get sufficientvibration for perfect compaction throughout the width of the road thatis being laid. The motors may be of any suitable or desirable style anddescription. However, I have found that by using a 1 H. P., 220

approximately 10,000 R. paction has resulted.

In order to swing the vibrators about, as indicated' by the dotted'lines in Fig. 3, I have provided a lever 60 rigidly fastened to thehorizontal rod 28 and provided withthe usual spring pressed dogto engagein the notches 62 attached toone of the rigid arms 26' of the yibratorplatform l8. By means of the weights W suspended to the rear of thehorizontal rod 28 upon the arms 64, it is easy for an operatorto swingthe entire gang of vibrators up and down and back and forth by means ofthe lever 60. In Fig. 5, I have illustrated a modified form of supportarm 3211.. By employment of the arms 32a rigidly connected to thehorizontal rod 28, the additional horizontal rod member 34 may beeliminated. Each'of the motor driven vibrator units 32b may be pivotallysupported between the arms 32c oftlie support 3201. and be operated as aunit by the manipulation of lever 60. From the above and foregoingdescription it P. M., very good comwill be apparent to those skilled inthe art that I tain desired distance back of the road building machine.Control switches for the individual motors may all be extending to adesired loca ti'on on the finishing machine so that theoperator cancontrol the operation of any or all the vibrators at will.

While I have illustrated and described a specific embodiment of theinvention, I do not wish to be limited in any particular to the detailedconstruction shown. Rather, what I desire to secureandprotect by LettersPatent of theUnited States is:

1. Apparatus of the class described capable of being supported uponaroad buildin machine, including a pair of spaced parallel channelmembers mounted in a horizontal plane on said road building machine, atruck mounted forback and forth movement between said channel members, apluralityof rollers upon opposite sides'of said truck riding" in's'aidchannel members, a frame carried by said truck, a horizontal barjournalled H in said frame, a plurality of rigid arms extended from saidhorizontal bar, ahorizontal shaft carried thereby, and a plurality ofvibrators suspended from said horizontal shaft and pivotally supportedthereby, said vibrators being adapted for horizontal adjustment tovarious positions relative to the road building machine, said adjustmentbeing obtained from the back and forth movement of the truck.

2. Apparatus of the class described comprising a movable support capableof attachment to a road building machine and movable in a horizontalplane, rollers provided for said movable support, a horizontal shaftpivotally mounted in said support, a plurality of outwardly extendingarms on said shaft, asecond horizontal shaft journalled in said arms anda plurality of vibrator members pivotally supported by said second shaftand suspended therefrom, said vibrator members including a motor, aflexible shaft driven thereby and a vibrator casing at the lower end ofsaid shaft, and being adapted for horizontal adjustment to variouspositions relative to the road building machine, said adjustment beingobtained by moving the movable support.

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising, a -movable supportcapable of attachment to a road building machine and movable in ahorizontal plane, rollers provided for said movable sup-' port, ahorizontal shaft pivotally mounted in said support, a plurality ofoutwardly extending arms on said shaft, a second horizontal shaft jour-.

' nalled in said arms, a plurality of vibrator members pivotallysupported by said second shaft and suspended therefrom, said vibratormembers being'adapted for horizontal adjustment to various positionsrelative to the road building machine, said adjustment being obtained bymoving the movable support, and manual means for raising or loweringsaid second shaft.

4. Apparatus of the class described comprising a movable support capableof attachment to a road building maohineand movable in a horizontalplane, rollers provided for said movable support, a horizontal shaftpivotally mounted in said support, a plurality of outwardly extendingarms on said shaft, 2. second horizontal shaft journalled in said armsand a plurality of Vibrator members pivotally supported by said secondshaft and suspended therefrom, said vibratormembers including a motor, aflexible shaft driven thereby and a vibrator casing at the lower end ofsaid shaft, and being adapted for horizontal adjustment to variouspositions relative to the road building machine, said adjustment beingobtained by moving the movable support, and manual means for raising orlowering said second shaft.

5. Apparatus of the class described comprising 7} ing said second shaft,said manual means including a balancing weight extended from said firstshaft and connected to said second shaft.

ARTHUR WILLIAM MALI...

